(POLL RESET) Who WILL be the Sabres next coach?

[Fjordy]

Could be no money. Could be experienced coaches not wanting to interview with us. We are a coaching graveyard right now. Have any of our coaches since Ruff gotten a head coaching job in the NHL after being fired by the Sabres?

Well, Boudreau seemed to be hinting that he was not averse to training Buffalo, I will not say about the rest.

 

[sabremike]

Well, Boudreau seemed to be hinting that he was not averse to training Buffalo, I will not say about the rest.

And he is to me BY FAR the best available coach available. Hiring him would also send the message that the Sabres are an actual credible NHL organization.

 

[Fjordy]

And he is to me BY FAR the best available coach available. Hiring him would also send the message that the Sabres are an actual credible NHL organization.

But we don't know the plans of management and Adams, whether they want to rebuild and go with Granato or a college guy, although it's hard for me to imagine any college coach could get around Granato at this point.

 

[BloFan4Life]

Our young guys seemed to play just fine with those guys. How do you become “names” and get “experience” by actually becoming a name and getting experience. Granato deserves the job 100 percent . Donnie in charge we know we are gonna get the best possible line combinations nightly that make sense. Get the guy some goaltending and we’ll see.

Our defense gave up the most quality chances of any team while Granato was coach. We really don't have much room to change the players on D. We need a better coach for the defense if you want to compete in the NHL.

 

[sabremike]

A rebuild would essentially be the franchise committing suicide. The reason the Sabres have been able to survive is due to insane levels of fan support. That fan base is dying a horrible death with each season as kids throughout WNY abandon their local team and soon we will become like the New Jersey Nets: A team with no fanbase and people only show up to see the opponent. When that happens it's close to impossible to reverse.

 

[RasmWristshotlainen]

Defense was atrocious the whole season and many have talked about how we should solve that problem. Could this be our solution? I'm mostly interested in what you guys think. Could he be Head coach material, or should we roll with Donny and try to get this guy as an assistant?

Brad Shaw Will Not Return to the Blue Jackets Next Season

 

[Buffaloed]

Defense was atrocious the whole season and many have talked about how we should solve that problem. Could this be our solution? I'm mostly interested in what you guys think. Could he be Head coach material, or should we roll with Donny and try to get this guy as an assistant?

Brad Shaw Will Not Return to the Blue Jackets Next Season

If they hire Granato, I want Jacques Martin running the D and PK.

 

[flashsabre]

A rebuild would essentially be the franchise committing suicide. The reason the Sabres have been able to survive is due to insane levels of fan support. That fan base is dying a horrible death with each season as kids throughout WNY abandon their local team and soon we will become like the New Jersey Nets: A team with no fanbase and people only show up to see the opponent. When that happens it's close to impossible to reverse.

No it is not. This teams rebuilds properly and competes the fans will pack the arena.

 

[Buffaloed]

No it is not. This teams rebuilds properly and competes the fans will pack the arena.

Teams like to call it a retool because the other R word is toxic. The Sabres would call it the ROTF for rebuild on the fly but fans would find deeper meaning.

 

[Jim Bob]

Canucks' Demko calls on organization to bring back coach, mentor Ian Clark

Yes please.

 

[ForsbergMoDo21]

And he is to me BY FAR the best available coach available. Hiring him would also send the message that the Sabres are an actual credible NHL organization.

Agreed. This seems like a no brainer. This isn’t Dan Bylsma I have 3 years experience with the best players in the league—Boudreau is one of the winningest coaches in league history. The turnarounds he’s orchestrated in Washington, Anaheim, and Minnesota are very impressive.

Maybe it’s not a no brainer but like a 2% brainer. That said, I’m worried that such a threshold is still too high for the people running the Sabres.

 

[Jim Bob]

Agreed. This seems like a no brainer. This isn’t Dan Bylsma I have 3 years experience with the best players in the league—Boudreau is one of the winningest coaches in league history. The turnarounds he’s orchestrated in Washington, Anaheim, and Minnesota are very impressive.

Maybe it’s not a no brainer but like a 2% brainer. That said, I’m worried that such a threshold is still too high for the people running the Sabres.

NHL Records

Forget just wins, BB has the third best Winning% all-time among NHL head coaches with 500+ games coached at .635.

If they hand Granato the job with only interviewing some college coaches, it will be another missed opportunity and one that reeks of the owners being cheap.

The only ways I see Granato as a better choice than BB is either Eichel makes it clear that he really loves Granato and wants him back as a step towards trying to repair the relationship with the team or they are going to do yet another tear down rebuild and move Eichel and Reinhart for non-win now pieces.

 

[Sabre Dance]

A rebuild would essentially be the franchise committing suicide. The reason the Sabres have been able to survive is due to insane levels of fan support. That fan base is dying a horrible death with each season as kids throughout WNY abandon their local team and soon we will become like the New Jersey Nets: A team with no fanbase and people only show up to see the opponent. When that happens it's close to impossible to reverse.

It's really not supposed to take this long to rebuild. Teams go from last to playoffs in 1-2 years in the NHL. The Sabres are the exception. It can turn around fast.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

If Brind'amour was available he'd be my pick. Prognosticating I think the top 3 for the Sabres are:

Boudreau - Best track record available. From the greater area, expensive, getting older. Does he have the energy to fight with an under achieving roster anymore?
Granto - Known quantity, showed some sparks of life, cheaper
Quinn - Works with developing players, Eichel's coach; could keep him happy

 

[jc17]

Nyr fans hated Quinn. Do we know if eichel even liked him?

 

[Fjordy]

Quinn - Works with developing players, Eichel's coach; could keep him happy

No way, you don't want this guy to coach your young players after Rangers.

 

[joshjull]

It's really not supposed to take this long to rebuild. Teams go from last to playoffs in 1-2 years in the NHL. The Sabres are the exception. It can turn around fast.

Yep. We got the bottoming out part right and f***ed up everything else (coaches, overall drafting, development, etc).

 

[joshjull]

NHL Records

Forget just wins, BB has the third best Winning% all-time among NHL head coaches with 500+ games coached at .635.

If they hand Granato the job with only interviewing some college coaches, it will be another missed opportunity and one that reeks of the owners being cheap.

The only ways I see Granato as a better choice than BB is either Eichel makes it clear that he really loves Granato and wants him back as a step towards trying to repair the relationship with the team or they are going to do yet another tear down rebuild and move Eichel and Reinhart for non-win now pieces.

I think hiring Granato or any of these college coaches is probably an indication that they’re going with a lot of youth next year. The end result of doing that would be less a expensive coach but I don’t think that means it was the focus.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Yep. We got the bottoming out part right and f***ed up everything else (coaches, overall drafting, development, etc).

I think there's obviously a trickle down on development when you miss on coaching.

 

[Buffaloed]

Lance Lysowski's list. There's a brief bio and explanation of why he listed them. I think I'd adopt another team to follow if they hired Grönborg.

Assessing possible candidates to coach the Sabres in 2021-22

Experienced NHL coaches
John Tortorella, free agent
Bruce Boudreau, free agent
Rick Tocchet, free agent
Gerard Gallant, free agent
Rod Brind’Amour, head coach, Carolina Hurricanes
David Quinn, free agent

Up-and-coming coaches
André Tourigny, head coach, Ottawa 67s (aka the guy that kicked Cozens out of practice)
Rikard Grönborg , head coach, ZSC Lions
Nate Leaman, head coach, Providence College
Pascal Vincent, head coach, Manitoba Moose
Troy Mann, head coach, Belleville Senators

Current NHL assistants
Lane Lambert, assistant coach, New York Islanders
Mike Vellucci, assistant coach, Pittsburgh Penguins
Steve Ott, assistant coach, St. Louis Blues
Rocky Thompson, assistant coach, San Jose Sharks

 

[flashsabre]

Lance Lysowski's list. There's a brief bio and explanation of why he listed them. I think I'd adopt another team to follow if they hired Grönborg.

Assessing possible candidates to coach the Sabres in 2021-22

Experienced NHL coaches
John Tortorella, free agent
Bruce Boudreau, free agent
Rick Tocchet, free agent
Gerard Gallant, free agent
Rod Brind’Amour, head coach, Carolina Hurricanes
David Quinn, free agent

Up-and-coming coaches
André Tourigny, head coach, Ottawa 67s (aka the guy that kicked Cozens out of practice)
Rikard Grönborg , head coach, ZSC Lions
Nate Leaman, head coach, Providence College
Pascal Vincent, head coach, Manitoba Moose
Troy Mann, head coach, Belleville Senators

Current NHL assistants
Lane Lambert, assistant coach, New York Islanders
Mike Vellucci, assistant coach, Pittsburgh Penguins
Steve Ott, assistant coach, St. Louis Blues
Rocky Thompson, assistant coach, San Jose Sharks

Pretty good list. Add Greg Carvel of UMass and any coaches canned after early playoff exits.

 

[sabresEH]

Lance Lysowski's list. There's a brief bio and explanation of why he listed them. I think I'd adopt another team to follow if they hired Grönborg.

Assessing possible candidates to coach the Sabres in 2021-22

Experienced NHL coaches
John Tortorella, free agent
Bruce Boudreau, free agent
Rick Tocchet, free agent
Gerard Gallant, free agent
Rod Brind’Amour, head coach, Carolina Hurricanes
David Quinn, free agent

Up-and-coming coaches
André Tourigny, head coach, Ottawa 67s (aka the guy that kicked Cozens out of practice)
Rikard Grönborg , head coach, ZSC Lions
Nate Leaman, head coach, Providence College
Pascal Vincent, head coach, Manitoba Moose
Troy Mann, head coach, Belleville Senators

Current NHL assistants
Lane Lambert, assistant coach, New York Islanders
Mike Vellucci, assistant coach, Pittsburgh Penguins
Steve Ott, assistant coach, St. Louis Blues
Rocky Thompson, assistant coach, San Jose Sharks

Tourigny just signed a 6 year extension(March 2021) with the 67’s and a 1 year contract as the coach of Team Canada. He’ll be assistant at this years World Championships and at the Olympics next year. He’ll head coach the junior team again and the World Championship team in 2022. He won’t entertain an NHL offer til after that I would imagine.

 

[Fjordy]

Lance Lysowski's list. There's a brief bio and explanation of why he listed them. I think I'd adopt another team to follow if they hired Grönborg.

Assessing possible candidates to coach the Sabres in 2021-22

Experienced NHL coaches
John Tortorella, free agent
Bruce Boudreau, free agent
Rick Tocchet, free agent
Gerard Gallant, free agent
Rod Brind’Amour, head coach, Carolina Hurricanes
David Quinn, free agent

Up-and-coming coaches
André Tourigny, head coach, Ottawa 67s (aka the guy that kicked Cozens out of practice)
Rikard Grönborg , head coach, ZSC Lions
Nate Leaman, head coach, Providence College
Pascal Vincent, head coach, Manitoba Moose
Troy Mann, head coach, Belleville Senators

Current NHL assistants
Lane Lambert, assistant coach, New York Islanders
Mike Vellucci, assistant coach, Pittsburgh Penguins
Steve Ott, assistant coach, St. Louis Blues
Rocky Thompson, assistant coach, San Jose Sharks

But there will be Don Granato

 

[Buffaloed]

A Coach's Journey: Troy Mann
Boudreau encouraged him to go into coaching. I wouldn't pick him buts he's done a great job with Belleville.

He made a good point in the article:
"I think one thing the ECHL does for you is it prepares you, because you do so many things there, you don't have multiple coaches and you're doing budgets, worrying about buses and equipment, and you're trying to coach at the same time. If you don't have a work ethic and a drive, the ECHL certainly isn't for you."

 

[Buffaloed]

But there will be Don Granato

Granato is the only candidate that isn't a retread and has experience as an NHL head coach